Hockey: West edges East in thrilling all-star game

While the outcome of the Monroe County Senior Select Class B hockey game at Thomas Creek Ice Arena Wednesday night ended with the West side pulling out an entertaining 8-7 win over the East, this game wasn’t really about who won or who lost.

“I think this was great,” said Mike Ferreri, Victor head coach who coached the East team in Wednesday’s game at Thomas Creek.

While the outcome of the Monroe County Senior Select Class B hockey game at Thomas Creek Ice Arena Wednesday night ended with the West side pulling out an entertaining 8-7 win over the East, this game wasn’t really about who won or who lost.

“I think this was great,” said Mike Ferreri, Victor head coach who coached the East team in Wednesday’s game at Thomas Creek.

“We know all these kids and how they can play. I think it’s a great opportunity for them to just kind of show their skills and have some fun. It’s a great culmination to a great high school career for all of these kids.”

While no stats were being kept for the game and none were available from the West squad, it wasn’t hard to see that team play was a main theme with several goals coming on nice multiple pass play goals.

None that looked better than a nifty Team East cross-crease pass play from Irondequoit pair Pete Barilla and John Papas. After skating himself open to the right side of the West net, Barilla deftly ripped a pass across the front of the well-covered goal where Papas quickly tipped the puck back into the open left side of the net.

Victor’s Michael Whitehair, who has yet to commit to a college, garnered a hat trick in the game, leading off the East team’s scoring to get it to 2-1 West, then ending the games scoring netting his third goal right at the final buzzer.

“Seeing and playing against all these guys that I have been playing against for four years was a lot of fun,” Whitehair said. “Playing with the guys that you have been competing against for such a long time was weird. It’s weird to know that this was the last time too. Time sure does fly. It flew by real quick. But it was a good experience and now we move on to the next thing.”

Also scoring a goal in the game was Canandaigua’s Ethan Dicicco. Several other Braves left their mark in the game with DJ Goldstein, , looming large several times on defense, as did teammate Bryan Yehl. Nicholas Como and Liam McGuay also played major minutes in the game.

Victor’s Matt Ewanow and Zeb Clarke were also East team members.

“It was a lot of fun. Definitely to see all the guys again and to meet some new guys was a lot of fun,” said Goldstein who also has yet to commit to a school.

When asked what it felt like to have just completed his last high school hockey game Goldstein looked at both sides of the equation.

“It’s a good and bad moment at the same time. Happy and sad. It was a great four years. I had my best times in high school and it’s sad that it’s over but it was a great time.”